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Totally Awesome Cyclone Machine

Was watching a program on discovery channel the other day and some storm researcher dude had set up a simple tornado machine. Basically just a big fan that created a vortex feed by a cloud of vapor from dry ice to make it visible - very cool. If you go to youtube or google "tornado machine" there are all kinds of working examples some that use laser lights to change colors. Since ISU is such a great engineering school, wouldn't it be cool if someone in the engineering school built one of these that could be used at ISU football games? Imagine a large working model that appears to float on a crimson and gold cloud of dust and is driven around the field like the Sooner wagon (only the driver and workings could be hid in the platform and not visible to the crowd). Could even feed coloring into the dry ice evaporate to alternate the color between cardinal and gold. Wouldn't a 20 ft tall cyclone running down the field before the game and at halftime be awesome? If I was a young engineering student at ISU I would take this on as a project. Could probably use the Kick Starter website to get all kinds of funding. I know I would contribute and I am guessing a lot of others here would as well. Pretty amazing that amount of no-strings money some of the posters on Kick Start receive from strangers. Could make a smaller version that could be used indoors for basketball games. Something like this if done well would be truly unique to ISU - not just another cardinal mascot that a dozen other schools have. The publicity and cool factor would be huge and highlight ISU engineering program. Folks like me here in CA would definitely notice something this unique. Come on - let's make this a happen!

Re: Totally Awesome Cyclone Machine

some of the working models on YouTube are interesting .... One was made by a kid in his garage and looked pretty good. Got to hope ISU engineering students and faculty cold do better than a kid with an old bathroom fan and some dry ice can do in his spare time?

Re: Totally Awesome Cyclone Machine

Doesn't have to be a real cyclone thingy - this is not a research project made out of a corn bin - think hollywood special effects. Maybe a 10 ft tall inverted cone that spins on a platform while emitting emitting mist or smoke from small micropores on the surface of the cone to give the visual impression of a spinning vortex. I'd buy a plane ticket to come see that and a cyclone game if it was done correctly.

Re: Totally Awesome Cyclone Machine

It is a good idea, but I'm not an engineer or meteorologist, so I will ask. The only ones I see that are V shaped are made in water. Is there an easy way to make an air vortex less l shaped and more V shaped so it would be more life like?

Re: Totally Awesome Cyclone Machine

Hey othercy, I kind of agree with Peteypie on the shape. I am not an engineer either so donít know the practical side . . . but like the idea of a wider vortex at the top then at the bottom. I help pick up Xmass trees to raise $ for our boy scout troop so have recently had them on the mind. How about something like an inverted ten foot tall Christmas tree that rotates while giving off smoke so all you see is the smoke from the smoke machine (rented one of those for halloween party). Would look like a tornado and the float it rides on could have dry ice smoke flowing off it so it gives the impression of a cloud of dust. You could drive something like that around the field and could probably take it to road games as well.

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